Gonzaga a solid favorite to win WCC basketball title

Perennial powerhouse Gonzaga was picked Thursday to win the West Coast Conference men's basketball title by a vote of the league's coaches.

The Bulldogs, undefeated in the WCC last year and 32-3 overall, collected eight first-place votes.

The Bulldogs are the pick despite losing two players to the NBA off a team that reached new heights under coach Mark Few.

"When we hit that No. 1 ranking and earned that No. 1 (NCAA tournament) seed, which I felt was even harder, it was a little overwhelming when it happened," Few said at WCC's tip-off event in El Segundo. "I was surprised what a big deal it was."

Saint Mary's was tabbed third behind BYU and earned one first-place vote from the coaches.

The coaches' 10-player preseason all-WCC team included four Bay Area selections: guard Stephen Holt and center Brad Waldow of Saint Mary's and forward Cole Dickerson and guard Cody Doolin of USF.

Saint Mary's coach Randy Bennett said no single player will replace departed Australian senior point guard Matthew Dellavedova, the school's career scoring and assists leader.

"It's by committee," Bennett said. "We'll put Stephen Holt at point guard and he'll be fine. Matt goes way beyond a point guard with leadership, toughness, belief.

Advertisement

"There are so many things he left to our orogram and I think we'll benefit from that. Our seniors saw that."

Bennett expects USC transfer Garrett Jackson, a 6-foot-6 junior forward, to have an immediate impact. Junior college arrival Kerry Carter has played "surprisingly well" in practice and 6-foot-9 Dane Pineau -- the Gaels' latest Aussie import -- has impressed Bennett as much as anyone on the roster.

Freshman forward Calvin Hermanson, the Oregon state player of the year, has been slowed early in practice by an ankle sprain.